Cellular plasma membranes can be viewed as a large store of second messenger that can be enlisted in a variety of signal transduction pathways. As regards function and regulation of effector enzymes in phospholipid signalling pathways, these enzymes generate second messengers from the membrane phospholipid pool (class I PI3 kinases (e.g. PI3Kgamma)) are dual-specific kinase enzymes, means they display both: lipid kinase (phosphorylation of phospho-inositides) as well as protein kinase activity, shown to be capable of phosphorylation of other protein substrates, including auto-phosphorylation as intra-molecular regulatory mechanism. These enzymes of phospholipid signalling are activated in response to a variety of extra-cellular signals such as growth factors, mitogens, integrins (cell-cell interactions) hormones, cytokines, viruses and neurotransmitters such as described in Scheme 1 hereinafter and also by intra-cellular cross regulation by other signaling molecules (cross-talk, where the original signal can activate some parallel pathways that in a second step transmit signals to PI3Ks by intra-cellular signaling events), such as small GTPasesu, kinases or phosphatases for example.
The inositol phospholipids (phosphoinositides) intracellular signalling pathway begins with binding of a signalling molecule (extracellular ligands, stimuli, receptor dimerization, transactivation by heterologous receptor (e.g. receptor tyrosine kinase)) to a G-protein linked transmembrane receptor integrated into the plasma membrane.
PI3K converts the membrane phospholipid PIP(4,5)2 into PIP(3,4,5)3 which in turn can be further converted into another 3′ phosphorylated form of phosphoinositides by 5′-specific phospho-inositide phosphatases, thus PI3K enzymatic activity results either directly or indirectly in the generation of two 3′-phosphoinositide subtypes that function as 2nd messengers in intra-cellular signal transduction (Trends Biochem Sci. 22(7) p. 267-72 (1997) by Vanhaesebroeck B et al., Chem Rev. 101(8) p. 2365-80 (2001) by Leslie N. R et al (2001); Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 17 p. 615-75 (2001) by Katso R. et al. and Cell Mol Life Sci. 59(5) p. 761-79 (2002) by Toker a. et al.). Multiple PI3K isoforms categorized by their catalytic subunits, their regulation by corresponding regulatory subunits, expression patterns and signaling-specific functions (p110α, β, δ, and γ) perform this enzymatic reaction (Exp Cell Res. 25(1) p. 239-54 (1999) by Vanhaesebroeck B. and Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 17 p. 615-75 (2001) by Katso R. et al).
The evolutionary conserved isoforms p110α and β are ubiquitously expressed, while δ and γ are more specifically expressed in the haematopoietic cell system, smooth muscle cells, myocytes and endothelial cells (Trends Biochem Sci. 22(7) p. 267-72 (1997) by Vanhaesebroeck B et al.). Their expression might also be regulated in an inducible manner depending on the cellular-, tissue type and stimuli as well as disease context. To date, eight mammalian PI3Ks have been identified, divided into three main classes (I, II, and III) on the basis of sequence homology, structure, binding partners, mode of activation, and substrate preference in vitro. Class I PI3Ks can phosphorylate phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate (PIP2) to produce phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PIP), phosphatidylinositol-3,4-biphosphate, and phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate, respectively. Class II PI3Ks phosphorylate PI and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate. Class III PI3Ks can only phosphorylate PI (Trends Biochem Sci. 22(7) p. 267-72 (1997) by Vanhaesebroeck B et al, Exp Cell Res. 25(1) p. 239-54 (1999) by Vanhaesebroeck B. and Chem Rev. 101(8) p. 2365-80 (2001) by Leslie N. R et al (2001)) G-protein coupled receptors mediated phosphoinositide 3′OH-kinase activation via small GTPases such as Gβγ and Ras, and consequently PI3K signaling plays a central role in establishing and coordinating cell polarity and dynamic organization of the cytoskeleton—which together provides the driving force of cells to move.

As above illustrated in Scheme 1, Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) is involved in the phosphorylation of Phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) on the third carbon of the inositol ring. The phosphorylation of PtdIns to 3,4,5-triphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3), PtdIns(3,4)P2 and PtdIns(3)P act as second messengers for a variety of signal transduction pathways, including those essential to cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell growth, cell size, cell survival, apoptosis, adhesion, cell motility, cell migration, chemotaxis, invasion, cytoskeletal rearrangement, cell shape changes, vesicle trafficking and metabolic pathway (Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. 17 p. 615-75 (2001) by Katso et al. and Mol Med Today 6(9) p. 347-57 (2000) by Stein R. C). Chemotaxis—the directed movement of cells toward a concentration gradient of chemical attractants, also called chemokines is involved in many important diseases such as inflammation/auto-immunity, neurodegeneration, angiogenesis, invasion/metastisis and wound healing (Immunol Today 21(6) p. 260-4 (2000) by Wyman N P et al.; Science 287(5455) p. 1049-53 (2000) by Hirsch et al.; FASEB J 15(11) p. 2019-21 (2001) by Hirsch et al. and Nat Immunol. 2(2) p. 108-15 (2001) by Gerard C. et al.).
Recent advances using genetic approaches and pharmacological tools have provided insights into signaling and molecular pathways that mediate chemotaxis in response to chemoattractant activated G-protein coupled receptors PI3-Kinase, responsible for generating these phosphorylated signalling products, was originally identified as an activity associated with viral oncoproteins and growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases that phosphorylates phosphatidylinositol (PI) and its phosphorylated derivatives at the 3′-hydroxyl of the inositol ring (Panayotou et al., Trends Cell Biol. 2 p. 358-60 (1992)). However, more recent biochemical studies revealed that, class I PI3 kinases (e.g. class IB isoform PI3Kγ) are dual-specific kinase enzymes, means they display both: lipid kinase (phosphorylation of phospho-inositides) as well as protein kinase activity, shown to be capable of phosphorylation of other protein as substrates, including auto-phosphorylation as intra-molecular regulatory mechanism.
So, PI3-kinase activation, therefore, is believed to be involved in a range of cellular responses including cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis (Parker et al., Current Biology, 5 p. 577-99 (1995), Yao et al., Science, 267 p. 2003-05 (1995)).
PI3-kinase appears to be involved in a number of aspects of leukocyte activation. A p85-associated PI3-kinase activity has been shown to physically associate with the cytoplasmic domain of CD28, which is an important costimulatory molecule for the activation of T-cells in response to antigen (Pages et al., Nature, 369 p, 327-29 (1994); Rudd, Immunity 4 p. 527-34 (1996)). Activation of T cells through CD28 lowers the threshold for activation by antigen and increases the magnitude and duration of the proliferative response. These effects are linked to increases in the transcription of a number of genes including interleukin-2 (IL2), an important T cell growth factor (Fraser et al., Science, 251 p. 313-16 (1991)). Mutation of CD28 such that it can longer interact with PI3-kinase leads to a failure to initiate IL2 production, suggesting a critical role for PI3-kinase in T cell activation. PI3Kγ has been identified as a mediator of G beta-gamma-dependent regulation of JNK activity, and G beta-gamma are subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins (J. Biol. Chem. 273(5) p. 2505-8 (1998). Cellular processes in which PI3Ks play an essential role include suppression of apoptosis, reorganization of the actin skeleton, cardiac myocyte growth, glycogen synthase stimulation by insulin, TNFα-mediated neutrophil priming and superoxide generation, and leukocyte migration and adhesion to endothelial cells. Recently, (Immunity 16(3) p. 441-51 (2002)) it has been described that PI3Kγ relays inflammatory signals through various G(i)-coupled receptors and its central to mast cell function, stimuli in context of leukocytes, immunology includes cytokines, chemokines, adenosines, antibodies, integrins, aggregation factors, growth factors, viruses or hormones for example (J. Cell. Sci 114(Pt 16) p. 2903-10 (2001) by Lawlor M A et al., Immunity 16(3) p. 441-51 (2002) by Laffargue M. et al. and Curr. Opinion Cell Biol. 14(2) p. 203-13 (2002) by Stephens L. et al.).
Specific inhibitors against individual members of a family of enzymes provide invaluable tools for deciphering functions of each enzyme. Two compounds, LY294002 and wortmannin (cf.hereinafter), have been widely used as PI3-kinase inhibitors. These compounds are non-specific PI3K inhibitors, as they do not distinguish among the four members of Class I PI3-kinases. For example, the IC50 values of wortmannin against each of the various Class I PI3-kinases are in the range of 1-10 nM. Similarly, the IC50 values for LY294002 against each of these PI3-kinases is about 15-20 μM (Fruman et al., An. Rev. Biochem., 67 p. 481-507 (1998)), also 5-10 microM on CK2 protein kinase and some inhibitory activity on phospholipases. Wortmannin is a fungal metabolite which irreversibly inhibits PI3K activity by binding covalently to the catalytic domain of this enzyme. Inhibition of PI3K activity by wortmannin eliminates the subsequent cellular response to the extracellular factor. For example, neutrophils respond to the chemokine fMet-Leu-Phe (fMLP) by stimulating PI3K and synthesizing PtdIns (3, 4, 5)P3. This synthesis correlates with activation of the respirators burst involved in neutrophil destruction of invading microorganisms. Treatment of neutrophils with wortmannin prevents the fMLP-induced respiratory burst response (Thelen et al. PNAS 91 p. 4960-64 (1994)). Indeed, these experiments with wortmannin, as well as other experimental evidence, shows that PI3K activity in cells of hematopoietic lineage, particularly neutrophils, monocytes, and other types of leukocytes, is involved in many of the non-memory immune response associated with acute and chronic inflammation.

Based on studies using wortmannin, there is evidence that PI3-kinase function also is required for some aspects of leukocyte signaling through G-protein coupled receptors (Thelen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 91 p. 4960-64 (1994)). Moreover, it has been shown that wortmannin and LY294002 block neutrophil migration and superoxide release. However, in as much as these compounds do not distinguish among the various isoforms of PI3K, it remains unclear which particular PI3K isoform or isoforms are involved in these phenomena.
Azolidinone-vinyl benzene derivatives—having a mandatory benzimidazole moiety though—are described in WO 02/051409. The compounds are said to inhibit telomerase and are purportedly useful in the treatment of cancer.